


to catch a fox

by magnificentbirb



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Animal Transformation, Choi San Fox Agenda 2k20, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25057282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnificentbirb/pseuds/magnificentbirb
Summary: In which San turns into a fox, and Yunho wasn't trained for this.
Relationships: Choi San/Jeong Yunho
Comments: 31
Kudos: 219





	to catch a fox

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't written fluff in a while and my brain has apparently been on the fox!san agenda recently, so ta-daaa~
> 
> enjoy!

Yunho wakes in the middle of the night to rustling in the bunk above him, followed by a low, wordless sound almost like a whine. 

Yunho stretches, coming slowly awake, and rubs his hands over his eyes.

“San-ah?” he calls softly, voice still rough with sleep. “You okay?”

San doesn’t respond, but the rustling pauses for a moment, and then starts again, louder this time, accompanied by another quiet whimper.

Yunho frowns and sits up slightly, concern starting to burn away the muzziness of sleep.

“San-ah?” he says again. He throws back his covers and climbs out of bed, ducking his head to avoid the top bunk as he stands. “San, what’s—?”

Yunho breaks off as he turns to face the top bunk, his breath catching in his throat; San’s bed appears empty, the blankets rumpled, a slight dent in the pillow where San’s head should have been.

“... San?” Yunho’s voice is quiet, tentative. He takes a step closer to the bed, peering over the rail, and then the pile of blankets twitches. Yunho about leaps out of his skin as he staggers back, his heart racing.

“San, this isn’t funny,” he says, one hand pressed to his chest, but before his irritation has time to take root, the blankets thrash again, and then a fuzzy head peaks out from beneath the blankets and shakes itself with a trilling growl, tawny fur and a little black nose and pointed ears swiveled flat.

Yunho blinks. Rubs the heels of his hands against this eyes. Blinks again.

The fox is still there.

It thrashes again, and finally manages to free itself from the blankets, letting out an irritated little cry, revealing a mouthful of delicate pointed teeth. It’s a lovely little fox, covered in bushy red and white fur, its tail almost as poofy as its entire body. It shakes itself, looking indignant (or at least as indignant as a fluffy little fox can look), and then dark eyes settle on Yunho, and the fox’s ears twitch forward, and it lets out what can only be described as a tiny scream.

“Shh!” Yunho moves forward automatically, hands held palms out, trying to get the fox to be quiet. “Shhh, not too loud, okay? We don’t need to wake everybody up.”

He realizes, distantly, how ridiculous it is for him to be talking to this fox like it’s a person, but the fox goes quiet, head quirking to one side, and those dark eyes blink at him guilelessly.

Yunho pauses, eyeing the fox warily. The fox has settled back onto its haunches, and now Yunho can see that one of the fox’s hind paws is still hooked into the collar of a familiar white t-shirt, and there’s clearly still no sign of San in his own bed, which might just mean… 

Oh god.

“... San?” Yunho keeps his voice low, a bit embarrassed to even be considering the bizarre conclusion his mind has just leapt to, but… “Is that… is that you?”

The fox opens its mouth in what could only be defined as a smile and lets out a chirp.

Yunho stares at his newly fuzzy roommate, eyes wide.

“Oh my god.”

*

Yunho’s fingers are in his hair, and he’s pacing in the dim light of his room. The fox is watching him, tail twitching, but luckily making no sound.

Okay, so if—and this is a _giant_ if, because the very idea is still _absurd_ , and Yunho is _aware_ of that, thank you very much—the fox in the top bunk actually _is_ Choi San, then… should Yunho tell someone? Or is that entirely the wrong thing to do? What if this is only a temporary thing? What if it’s a secret, and Yunho entirely ruins it and betrays San’s trust by blabbing immediately to Hongjoong and Seonghwa in a moment of pure panic because he has no idea how to take care of his roommate who is now, apparently, a fox?

Yunho curls his fingers tighter into his hair, letting out a low moan. On the other hand, what if this is all a giant prank, and San is just messing with him, and he’s fallen for it entirely because he’s gullible and too nice and already way too worried about how the heck he’s going to deal with the possibility of San still being a fox when the sun rises?

The fox chirrups from his place in the top bunk, nails clicking against the metal rail as he hooks his paws up on the railing.

“Wait, wait, wait, don’t jump down, you’ll hurt yourself.” Yunho hurries over to the bunk bed, lifting his hands to the fox, ready to help him down, but he hesitates just before his fingers touch soft fur.

“Uh… do you mind if I… can I pick you up?” Yunho asks, feeling rather ridiculous.

The fox ( _San? Can he think of this fox as San? Is that weird?_ ) wriggles and lets out an impatient little whine, and Yunho takes that as a yes. He scoops San up just beneath his forelegs, lifting him from the top bunk, and automatically ends up with the fox cradled against his chest.

“Oh my god how are you so soft,” Yunho mutters, his hands buried in thick copper fur, and he knows he’s just rambling because he’s nervous, but honestly, this might be some of the softest fur he’s ever touched. 

“Okay, I’m going to put you down now,” Yunho says. “Please don’t, um. Hide under the bed? Or try to run? I mean, the door’s closed, but… yeah.”

Yunho stoops and sets the fox gently down on the floor. The fox— _San, think of him as San, it can’t really hurt to think of him as San, right?_ —fluffs himself and turns in a circle and then… pauses. He looks briefly up at Yunho, letting out a small whine, and then stands right on top of Yunho’s feet, pressing himself against Yunho’s legs.

“What?” Yunho blinks down at the fox. “What’s wrong? It’s just… it’s our room. Does it look scarier from down there?”

San lets out another low whine, and Yunho’s heart clenches. He slowly lowers himself to the floor, trying not to startle San with any sudden movements, so he can see the room from San’s new perspective. It looks about the same, to him, but apparently Yunho being on the floor with him emboldens San, who nudges briefly ( _affectionately?_ ) at Yunho’s cheek, and then starts picking his careful way around their room, stepping delicately over discarded shoes and hats and books.

Yunho watches him, feeling slightly numb.

“San,” he says, just a test, and the fox immediately stops and looks at him, ears pricked forward. Yunho shakes his head in wonder and waves a hand. “No, it’s nothing, sorry, I just… you can keep exploring.” 

San goes right back to sniffing at a pile of clean laundry they hadn’t folded yet, and Yunho fumbles for his phone, last seen beside his pillow when he fell asleep a few hours before. He manages to snag it without needing to get off the floor, and then he unlocks it, opens a web browser, and starts searching.

_what do foxes eat_

He peeks at San while the results load, watching as San rummages through their laundry until he finally comes up with a sweatshirt in his teeth. It’s one of Yunho’s, and Yunho watches, bewildered, as San trots over to him and drops the sweatshirt directly in Yunho’s lap.

Yunho blinks at it. “For me?” he says.

San twitches his tail, and Yunho realizes, dazedly, that he actually _is_ rather cold; the open window has been letting in a cool breeze all night, and outside of the cozy cocoon of his blankets, his tank top isn’t quiet enough to keep him warm.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, slipping the sweatshirt on, and then he turns back to his phone, checking the search results and automatically making a face. “Small rodents, huh? And insects… probably not gonna do that for you, sorry. Oh, veggies!” Yunho can’t help but grin, showing his phone screen to San. “Perfect, your favorite.”

San crinkles his nose, and Yunho laughs, automatically reaching out to rub San’s ears. The fox doesn’t move away, instead nuzzling into Yunho’s hand, and that’s… honestly rather nice, really.

This is so weird.

“So… are you hungry?” Yunho asks quietly. “There are carrots in the fridge, I think. I could get you some?”

San makes a soft sound and steps into the circle of Yunho’s crossed legs, turning a couple of times before curling into a furry little ball right in Yunho’s lap. He lifts his head and blinks up at Yunho, apparently satisfied.

“So… not hungry, then,” Yunho says, putting his phone aside. “Okay, that’s fine. Uh… you can understand me when you’re like this, right? Can you do one tap for yes, two for no?”

San lifts a paw and taps once on Yunho’s ankle. Yunho’s heart leaps; it’s the first real evidence that the fox in his lap is actually San, and that this might not all be a prank, or a dream, or a very convincing hallucination. Yunho isn’t entirely sure what to do with that knowledge.

“Okay,” Yunho says, taking a deep breath. “Okay, first question: Is this the first time this has happened to you?”

San taps twice on Yunho’s ankle, his ears twitching.

“Does it—does it happen to you often?”

Two more taps.

“When was the last time?”

San lets out an irritated little grumble, and Yunho realizes he didn’t ask a yes or no question.

“Sorry,” he says quickly. “Did this happen like… five years ago?” Two taps. Yunho frowns. “Ten years ago?” One tap. Yunho hesitates. “Only the one other time?” One tap. “And you’re not… do you know why?” 

A pause, and then, slowly, _tap, tap_. 

Yunho lets out a shuddering breath. He lifts his hand, wavers for a second, and then buries his fingers into the thick, soft fur beneath San’s left ear, massaging gently. San lets out a low, chirping hum from deep in his throat, pressing into Yunho’s hand, and Yunho, encouraged, starts scratching a little harder.

Even as he spoils San, his mind is racing with the rather alarming notion that poor San has had to endure transforming into a fox twice in his life now, and with apparently no idea when it might happen or why. Yunho’s stomach twists; how is San not absolutely terrified right now? How is he able to sit so calmly in Yunho’s lap, getting head scratches and—Yunho notes with a start—apparently already growing drowsy?

“San-ah?” Yunho whispers. San chirps, a sleepy little trill. His eyes are sliding closed, and his head is leaning heavily into Yunho’s hand, easy and trusting in a way that makes Yunho’s chest feel overwarm. “Are you… aren’t you scared?”

There’s no response for a moment, except for a slight swivel of San’s ears, and then Yunho feels two gentle taps against his ankle.

“Okay.” Yunho’s voice is hushed. “Okay, that’s good, I’m… I’m glad.” He’s quiet for a moment, still petting San’s head, listening to San’s soft, pleased rumbles. A question lingers in his mind; it feels almost too selfish to ask, but with San curled warm and cozy in his lap, apparently entirely content despite his strange situation, Yunho is far too easily tempted. 

“Do you… do you feel safe here?” he asks, his heart thumping. “With me?”

For a moment, Yunho is afraid that San has already fallen asleep, but then he feels one soft, firm tap on his ankle, and he can’t help but smile, his cheeks heating.

“Get some sleep, San-ah,” he says, quietly, and buries his fingers in thick, soft fur.

*

Yunho wakes to a sore back and a crick in his neck and fingers running through his hair.

“You’ll hurt yourself, if you sleep like that for too long,” says an amused, familiar voice.

Yunho jolts awake, eyes snapping open as he remembers the events of the last night. He sits up straight from his slouch against the edge of his bed and immediately regrets it, his lower back throbbing.

“San,” he says, wincing, and sure enough, there stands his roommate, clad only in sweatpants, with a t-shirt clutched to his chest and not a bit of copper fur in sight. San’s dark hair is mussed and there are shadows under his eyes, but otherwise, he looks no worse for the wear from having spent the last six hours or so as a fox.

Yunho squints up at him, still trying to wake up properly.

“Are you okay?” he asks. “How do you feel? Do you hurt anywhere? Do you need anything?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” San says with a smile. He tugs the shirt on over his head, mussing his hair up even more. It’s inordinately cute. “Really, it’s not a big deal. I feel fully back to normal.”

“‘Not a big deal’?” Yunho blurts. “San, you were a fox. Like, an _actual_ fox. You fit in my lap. You _purred_ at me. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, I promise,” San says, his cheeks a bit flushed. “And foxes don’t purr,” he adds in a mutter, ruffling a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m gonna grab a shower before anyone else wakes up, but I wanted to thank you first. For… being here, last night. And staying. And not freaking out.” He bites his lip. “It was… it means a lot. So… thank you.”

Yunho frowns slightly, getting to his feet; he still feels stiff, but it’s nothing a bit of stretching won’t fix. He’s slept in weirder positions for longer.

“Of course I stayed,” Yunho says. “And I actually was freaking out for a bit there, but I wasn’t just going to leave you alone, not when you were all—” He breaks off, gesturing helplessly at San. 

“Fuzzy?” San grins, and there’s actually something vulpine in it. Yunho lets out a little laugh.

“Yeah, that.” He steps forward, arms open, and San naturally steps into his embrace, letting himself be hugged. San wraps his arms around Yunho’s waist, resting his head on Yunho’s shoulder, and Yunho turns to press a gentle kiss to San’s hair, his heart feeling too big for his chest.

“I’m glad you turned back,” he says quietly, running a hand soothingly over San’s back. “I had no idea what I would do if I woke up and you were still… you know. All foxy.” Yunho squeezes San, his throat going a bit tight. “You were really cute and soft, but I think I still like this better.”

San hums low in his throat. “Me too.” He pulls back slightly, his cheeks still flushed, and then, after a moment of hesitation, leans up on his tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to Yunho’s lips, making Yunho’s breath catch. “Thank you,” San says again, and then, still blushing, ducks out of Yunho’s arms and slips out of the room, letting the door shut quietly behind him.

Yunho stares after him, his heart racing. He lifts a hand to his lips, feeling a bit light-headed.

“Any time,” he mumbles, to no one, and then he sighs and slumps heavily onto his bed. His lips still tingle a bit, and warmth flutters in his belly.

That’s when he notices the fox hair on his sweatshirt.

 _That’ll be fun to explain to Seonghwa_ , he thinks, and then flops backwards with a smile, ready to catch a quick nap before the day can truly begin.

*

**Author's Note:**

> i was only a little bit tempted to name this 'what does the fox say' but then i realized it's no longer 2013, alas.
> 
> thanks for reading! kudos and comments appreciated, come yodel at me on twitter, if you like~ ♡
> 
> [main account](https://twitter.com/aintitnifty) | [writing account](https://twitter.com/magnificentbirb)
> 
> this has also been translated into Russian by Fuck_Yeah_IchiRuki, found [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/9667055). thank you!!


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